


Unsubtle Embarrassments

by catpoop



Series: Sheith Month 2017 [3]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Friendship, Light Angst, M/M, Poverty, SheithMonth2k17, Videogames
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-02
Updated: 2017-08-02
Packaged: 2018-12-10 04:59:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,222
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11684589
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/catpoop/pseuds/catpoop
Summary: Sheith Month '17 - 5/8: The shackKeith isn't ashamed,he isn't, but when everyone wants to know his secrets, there's little he can do





	Unsubtle Embarrassments

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for all the response + feedback on my other fics! im glad people r enjoying this lil string of drabbles ive challenged myself to finish  
> (also what is the title?? idk)

It doesn’t take a genius to notice that Keith always finds one reason or another to slip away from their group and go home by himself. Shiro’s not the most observant – or the best listener – but after five tentative months, he still doesn’t know if Keith lives in the neighbourhood, or in a mole hole underground.

Even Lance looks perplexed when Keith disappears by himself into the 1am darkness, their study session (soon devolved into drunken madness) having run a little late. Luckily, Pidge and Hunk are both staying over at Lance’s, so Shiro doesn’t have to act the responsible caretaker and shuttle them all home, as though his being a year older and owning a bike made him the pinnacle of responsibility.

Keith is nowhere to be seen when he steps outside. But he’s taken care of himself for as long as they can remember, so Shiro tries not to worry.

\-----

Keith arrives to school on time the next day, and Shiro breathes a familiar sigh of relief.

\-----

It takes a year to figure out the mystery of Keith’s home, even with Lance’s scheming and Pidge’s unhelpful suggestions. The fact that Shiro feels a painful pang whenever he sees Keith clam up about the topic doesn’t help, either – he’s quick to divert the conversation and rekindle the mood.

After the fifth failed effort of attaching a tracking device to Keith – this time by means of brightly flashing light, Shiro decides to step in and exercise what little command he has over the others.

“I’ll just ask Keith.” He suggests.

“Wait! Why didn’t we think of that?” Lance dramatically clutches his chest. “ _Because it didn’t work, Shiro_.”

Shiro sighs. “I’ll – well – I’ll do it a little more politely this time. And setting a firework to launch off Keith’s head when he’s at home is never going to work, Lance."

“I still blame the shitty fireworks.” Lance comically deflates at the very mention of his botched attempt.

Shiro ignores him, steeling himself for what is going to be one awkward conversation later in the day. And for potential injury, because an angry Keith is a force to be reckoned with.

Casually, and as he usually does, Shiro waits for Keith to meticulously pack his belongings away after maths, jerking his head towards the door when Keith looks up.

“Let’s go?”

“Yeah.”

“So…” Shiro says, after Keith finished updating him on every instance of second-hand embarrassment his teachers caused today, “Pidge-and-Hunk-and-Lance are busy. Today.” Keith doesn’t question his sudden lack of breath, and Shiro tentatively continues. “Ma’s hosting our relatives, and I really don’t want to bother them. Is it okay if I go to your place for a bit? Just while the relatives clear out.”

Shiro offers a weak grin, but Keith doesn’t look at him, eyes downcast and shoes scuffing at the pavement. The school is still close behind, and truth be told they could always loiter in the cafeteria, but Shiro continues forwards. 

Keith follows him, contemplatively silent until his voice hitches on a decisive inhale.

__“I – I mean – what’s the big deal with …”_ _

__“It’s not a big deal,” Shiro reassures him._ _

__“‘Course not.” Keith mutters, low and serious. “As long as you promise not to laugh.”_ _

__Questioning violet eyes bore into his skull, but Shiro already knows not to laugh. He doesn’t laugh when Keith sneaks superglue from the workshop to patch his shoes up, or when he shows up to school with tattered backpack replaced by what looks suspiciously like Lance’s old bag. He doesn’t laugh, because he’s not one of those pathetic bullies who have nothing better to do but to pick on Keith despite his violent outbursts and bruised knuckles._ _

__“I won’t.”_ _

__Keith hums in agreement, but his footsteps don’t quicken, dragging on the pavement as he regards Shiro with doleful eyes._ _

__“There’s nothing to do there anyway.”_ _

__“We don’t have to do anything.”_ _

__“… Okay.”_ _

__Keith begins to slow when they reach an anonymous driveway, physically standing in front of Shiro as though to block his view. Shiro gets a clear look at the house before them regardless._ _

__To be fair, there’s not much he can see when the front yard is as overgrown as it is, nearly shrouding the entire wooden structure that Shiro presumes is the house._ _

__“It should be empty.” Keith sounds dispirited, but they’ve gotten here now. Shiro avoids a low-hanging tree branch as he follows Keith through the cluttered garden and a creaky side door. The interior of the house is … depressing, at first sight._ _

__Keith’s room is equally tiny and dusty. Shiro settles on the bed beside him, watching Keith fiddle with his fingers._ _

“Not going to laugh?” His voice is fragile like the creaking bed frame beneath them.

“Of course not. Anyway, this place is cosy.”

And it is, the faded duvet covers soft with wear and a small collection of trinkets lining the narrow windowsill. The room is small, dwarfed by Keith’s average-sized bed.

Keith snorts. “No it’s not – it’s a _shack_. It’s going to collapse one day, I bet you.” His sneer is contemptuous. 

“I’m sure you can stay with Lance and no one will notice there’s an extra person.” Shiro jokes, even as he remembers Keith’s reluctance to sleep over.

As expected, Keith’s reply is snappish. “I don’t need to do that. I _have_ a home.”

“Yeah, but … he likes having you there. We all do.”

Keith shrugs, vicious and pointed. “Whatever. What did you want to do here anyway?”

Relax. Talk like friends do. Shiro leans back and focuses on the peeling wallpaper, thinking of his day at school.

_“So, did I tell you about –”_

\-----

Keith doesn’t exactly lead all four of them trooping into his house the very next day, but it happens, gradually. Whenever his ‘uncle’ is out – and he’s out very often, for someone who claims legal guardianship of and relation to him – they sneak into the empty building, Keith expressly forbidding Lance from his bedroom and Pidge frantically picking burrs off their entire body.

“This place is nice – no one to bother you,” Lance comments, kicking his feet up on the table.

“It’s a mess.” Keith mutters.

“Yeah, well … we can just get Hunk and Shiro to help clean up, right?” Lance nudges his best friend, whose usual smile turns a little forced.

“Sure, buddy.”

Keith is about to voice a protest, the creeping feeling in his chest a side-effect of having so many people cram into his disused and miserable house, when Pidge leaps up with a yell.

“Is that an SNES?”

“– what?” Everyone turns to stare at a nondescript grey box sitting innocently beneath the ancient TV, Pidge scuttling forward to inspect the device.

“I haven’t seen one of these since ever!” They crow, digging around in the mess that might’ve once been a TV stand, extracting a pair of controllers in a matter of seconds. Keith can’t recall ever seeing anything of the like.

“Well that saves us finding something to do, right?” Shiro smiles at him, and Keith falters.

\-----

Keith can’t remember the last time he’d enjoyed staying in this much, not when he’s all but sat in Shiro’s lap and Pidge and Lance are physically wrestling beside them (not just onscreen) in an attempt to “ _win, goddamn, I need to win!_ ”

The cold floor almost feels comfortable.

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading <3 comments r absolutely great
> 
> @swummeng-geys.tumblr.com  
> twitter: @hashtag_yikes


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